The Jerusalem District Court rejected the prosecution's request to postpone the evidentiary stage in former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert 'strial by three months. The trial is slated to start next week.
The delay was requested after the main prosecutor in the trial, Deputy Jerusalem District Prosecutor Attorney Uri Korev was put on forced leave after calling the judges "asses."
However, the court did agree to lighten the hearing schedule in the upcoming three weeks, during which there will be one hearing a week. Afterwards, two hearings will be held each week. Starting on April 6, the hearings will be held as originally scheduled.
In the postponement request, Jerusalem District Prosecutor Attorney Eli Abarbanel wrote: "Attorney Korev has been on this case since its inception. He is fluent in its smallest details and should play a significant role as the case is presented before the court. His absence at this stage of the case will impair the plaintiff's ability to present her case before the court."
Yedioth Ahronoth published the statements made by Attorney Korev during a lecture to law students, which included harsh comments against the judicial system. "A large portion of the judges are big asses. They play Tetris during the hearings," he said. He also noted a number of examples from the Olmert trial.